Best exercises to build strong, sculpted thighs
THIGH gaps might still be a thing, but gone are the days when women would neglect their thighs out of fear that they would become too muscular in that region. These days, thick seems to be the new thin, and more women are trading up shapeless legs for more defined ones.
If you’re only just now getting the memo, no need to feel left out, because personal trainer and fitness instructor Gisel Harrow shares several thigh-focused exercises that can help you build strong, sculpted thighs. Check them out below.
Squats
Squats are perhaps some of the best exercises to train and build your thighs. Plus, they are pretty easy to achieve because they mimic the stand-up, sit-down pattern we do everyday.
There are a number of different squats, for example, body weight, dumbbells or barbell squats, to tighten and tone the butt and thighs.
How to squat: You want to start off freehand — this type of squat is known as the bodyweight squat. Start off by standing with feet hip-width apart. Now send the hips downward and squeeze your glutes as you return to the start position. Bend the knees, keeping the weight on your heels, and make sure your knees do not go forward beyond your toes.
Do this for 15 to 20 repetitions, then as you become more familiar with the exercise, you can incorporate dumbbells or barbells.
Lunges
Lunges are perfect because they tone your thighs while strengthening most muscles in your legs and targeting other lower areas, such as the glutes. Similar to how squats mimic our everyday sitting-to-standing pattern, lunges do something similar — they copy your normal walking pattern, which is basically shifting weight from one foot to the other alternately.
How to do lunges: Stand with your feet together and your hands on your hips. Then lunge forward with your right leg, switch legs, and land with your left leg in a forward lunge. Continue these lunges, alternating sides. Your front knee should be bent at 90 degrees. Do 15 repetitions each side for three sets.
Glute bridges
How to achieve: Lie on your back with your arms at your sides with your knees bent and your feet on the floor. Lift your hips toward the ceiling. Hold for one count, and then lower back down. Squeeze your glutes and hamstrings at the top of the range of motion. Be careful not to overarch your spine. Do three sets of 20 repetitions. You can also add resistance bands to your legs to work your muscles some more.
Using cardio machines
If you go the gym or if you have a cardio machine such as a treadmill, leg press machine or elliptical at home or at the office, these can help you to strength train and gain defined muscles in the legs as well. For instance, in the case of the leg press machine, you will place your feet hip-width apart in the middle of the footplate then press the weight and release the support bar. Now lower the footplate until your legs are bent at 90 degrees, then push with your heels as you press the plate back to the starting position. If you don’t have a leg press machine you can use a resistance band to mimic the movement of machine leg presses.
Harrow suggests that you use the machine at intervals between executing the other exercises.
